Reviewing Random Films For Fun

April 14, 2016

Salt of the Earth #MovieReview

Film 309 in the ‘1001 films to see before you die’ challenge is 1954’s “Salt of the Earth”. Based on the strike against the Empire Zinc Company in Grant County, New Mexico, this film was written by Michael Wilson and directed by Herbert J. Biberman who have been blacklisted by the Hollywood establishment due to their alleged involvement in communist politics. This historical drama is about Mexican-American miners striking against their bosses and their wives striking against their husbands. From what I gathered, the key message this film wanted to send to the audience was that everyone should have the rights as others no matter of sex or race. However, what this film ended up doing was splitting the audience into separate sections. Do we support the men for wanting better working conditions? Or do we support their wives for wanting…. Well that’s the thing. I wasn’t quite sure what they wanted. It came across as if they wanted ‘Women’s Rights’ but this portrays all the women as housewives who cook, clean and look after their kids. Unless you’re Espiransa (I think that’s her name) who prayed to a picture of Jesus that you don’t want the kids you have anymore. Bit harsh! How are we meant to like her? If you include the bit about what she said about her kids, she’s miserable and does nothing in the film that makes me (the audience) want to like her. I managed 25 minutes before I started striking against the film. See what I there? The film has strikes and I’m strik…. I know. I know. It was a bad pun. If you have seen this film then let me know what you thought of it in the comments. Here is what I managed to say while watching 1954’s “Salt of the Earth”